Notes bring harmonics and flicker tests up to date

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 24, 2004

Practical guidance is available on how to test electrical products in accordance with the latest European powerline harmonics and flicker standards.

For the first time, practical guidance is available to design engineers and EMC compliance engineers on how to test electrical products in accordance with the latest European powerline harmonics and flicker standards.

The technical notes show how engineers can configure power analysis equipment to make either preliminary or full-compliance measurements in accordance with the new 75A standards.

Using examples, connection diagrams and explanations, these 12-page technical notes will assist engineers to make the required measurements with confidence and speed.

Full-compliance measurements require the use of an AC source, but the technical notes also describe how to make accurate precompliance measurements with just a power analyser.

The standards described and interpreted by the technical notes are: IEC61000-3-11, which concerns voltage fluctuations and flicker; and IEC61000-3-12, which sets limits for the current harmonics drawn by equipment rated at up to 75A.

IEC61000-3-11 was published in 2000 and is current, whereas IEC61000-3-12 is due for publication in 2004.

Although the 75A standards are not yet widely understood, they are closely related to the well known IEC61000-3-2 and IEC61000-3-3 16A standards, for which Voltech has been providing leading solutions for over 10 years.

The application notes are available free of charge from the support area of Voltech's website.